small group instruction
A.C.C.E.S.S. Literacy Framework — 55-Minute Lesson Planning Generator
. This is the lesson plan AI tool that will help you design differentiated and scaffolded lessons based on your own objectives for every student in your room. Not just the ones who already fit. . The A.C.C.E.S.S. Literacy Framework™ Lesson Plan Template is the planning tool that closes the gap between what research says works and what teachers are actually … Read more
From QR Codes to Artificial Intelligence: How Human-Centered Innovation Leads the Future of Education
AI isn’t replacing teachers — it’s asking us to get more intentional, not less human. Using the same “student first, tool second” thinking behind Dr. Ranjitsinh Disale’s QR-coded textbooks, I walk through the Human-Centered AI Teaching Continuum and show you exactly how I use AI to build sensory accommodations, multilingual visual supports, and social stories — the stuff that actually moves the needle for multilingual learners and students with disabilities.
Designing “STAR Reading Strategy” Lessons for Real Students: What My Classroom Has Taught Me About
As a Special Education and English Learner teacher at my Washington DC school, I have spent a career working with students who find the act of reading to be an exercise in endurance rather than exploration. In my Digital Literacy Academy, I am the lead teacher for students with significant cognitive disabilities, many of whom … Read more
What Happens When You Teach “Analyzing Text Features” to Struggling Readers the Right Way
As a Special Education and English Learner teacher, I used this lesson with students who struggle with reading comprehension and written expression at my Washington DC school. In my role as the Digital Literacy Academy lead, I often see students who are essentially “information-blind” when they look at a complex page of text. For a … Read more
Why Should a Busy Teacher Even Care About Sharing Resources?
Sharing resources on Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) isn’t just a side hustle; it’s a powerful tool for professional advocacy and teacher retention. By putting your specialized SPED and ELL materials into the world, you amplify your impact far beyond your own four walls and help keep fellow educators in the profession. I remember sitting at … Read more
Reading Intervention Strategies That Work for ELL Students with Learning Disabilities (With Data)
I remember the first time I sat across from a new teacher who was nearly in tears. She had a classroom full of students who were both English Language Learners (ELLs) and had significant cognitive disabilities. She looked at me and said, “I have 50 minutes for English, and I’m spending 40 of them just … Read more
How My Special Education & ELL Students Used “Making Inferences” Lesson — And What Actually Worked
As a Special Education and English Learner teacher, I used this lesson with students who struggle with reading comprehension and written expression at my Washington DC school. For my students—many of whom navigate the world through Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for significant cognitive disabilities and the added layer of English language acquisition—abstract concepts like “inferencing” … Read more
Why Did I Put Myself Through National Board Certification?
National Board Certification for Exceptional Needs Specialists isn’t just a fancy title; it’s a grueling, beautiful process that forces you to analyze every single instructional move. By focusing on “clear, consistent, and compelling” evidence of student growth, this journey turns “good” teachers into reflective masters who meet the complex sensory and linguistic needs of every … Read more
AI Tools for Special Education Teachers in 2026: 20 Time-Saving Apps I Actually Use
I’ll never forget the “Spring Break of 2024.” I spent the entire week huddled in a coffee shop, surrounded by piles of data, trying to write 12 annual IEPs and plan a new vocational unit on office safety. By Wednesday, I was crying into my latte. I loved my students—especially my learners with significant cognitive … Read more